Dalhousie University’s Bachelor of Science Major in Marine Biology is an independent university route, not an INTIAU programme or partnership.
Checked 17 October 2026. 2026/2027 major calendar and current entry page checked 17 October 2026; no future window announced here.
Distinguish science entry, declaration and degree option
The current programme page says BSc students enter Science undeclared and declare the Marine Biology major or other options after first year, using the relevant science and mathematics prerequisites. Its BSc school-entry example includes English, pre-calculus mathematics and three additional academic subjects. Programme and entry page.
Keep these decisions in separate boxes when comparing offers. Admission to Science does not by itself specify every later course. A Major, an Honours route and an optional experience pathway should be compared using their own requirements. This guide follows the BSc Major and does not treat another option as an automatic addition.
The 2026/2027 calendar describes a 120-credit-hour Major with at least 42 Marine Biology credits above the 1000 level and no thesis requirement. It distinguishes this route from Honours. Major requirements.
Follow the published layers of study
| Layer | Selected evidence | Question to investigate |
|---|---|---|
| 1000 level | Introductory biology, chemistry, statistics and a mathematics choice. | Which listed alternative matches my preparation? |
| 2000 level | BIOL 2060 Introductory Ecology and ocean-science study sit alongside biological foundations. | How do organism and environment interact? |
| 3000/4000 level | BIOL 3872 and additional approved MARI study, including 4000-level credit. | Which choices support the question I want to explore? |
A selected 2026/2027 example is MARI 4323, Movement and Spatial Ecology. Its record covers animal tracking and hypothesis testing with statistical programming, lists lecture and lab formats, and specifies a prerequisite route or instructor permission. This is a course example, not a compulsory-Major claim. Course record.
For a reliable comparison, distinguish a course’s presence in a catalogue from its availability in a particular term. Keep a short list of plausible alternatives. If a choice is essential to your interests, ask about the next actual offering and access conditions before making it the centre of a degree plan.
Original exercise: compare two invented observation plans
Imagine a desk-based study of sightings of a fictional coastal bird. You have two observation sites and four one-hour periods. Plan A watches the first site only in calm mornings and the second only in windy afternoons. Plan B distributes the same observation periods across both conditions and sites. No real animals or locations are needed.
Write the question each plan could answer, then identify the comparison each cannot support confidently. In Plan A, site and observation conditions change together. A difference in sightings might therefore reflect the site, the weather, time of day or a combination. Explain why adding more observations of exactly the same unbalanced pattern would not necessarily resolve that ambiguity.
Build a recording sheet with site, time, conditions, observation effort and count. Add a separate field for uncertainty. A zero means no bird was recorded during that observation; it should not silently become proof that no bird used the site. Identify one condition that could make an animal harder to detect without changing how many animals were present.
Finish with a short limitations paragraph and a revised sampling plan. Keep your invented data clearly labelled and avoid treating the exercise as permission to visit sensitive sites or handle wildlife. The useful preparation is a transparent link between the question, observation method and strength of the conclusion.
Prepare an adviser-ready shortlist
Bring a tentative foundation-course list, a clearly named degree option and two academic interests to official advising. Highlight any missing prerequisite instead of concealing it behind a preferred upper-year title. Save the calendar edition with the plan and revisit it when an actual offer or course selection decision is made. This is more useful than collecting marine-themed modules without checking how they fit together.
Frequently asked questions
Does entry to Science mean the major is already declared?
No. Current BSc guidance describes undeclared entry followed by declaration after first-year preparation.
Does this Major require an Honours thesis?
The 2026/2027 Major description says it has no thesis requirement; Honours is a separate route.
Is MARI 4323 guaranteed in my timetable?
No. Its catalogue record establishes the course example and access conditions, not a guaranteed offering or place.
View the curriculum comparison map
Official sources and further comparison
Continue your independent comparison through the INTIAU Courses directory, or use INTIAU Contact for a general enquiry. The university controls its programme and admissions decisions.